Equipment Needed
- Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot
- Wooden spoon
- Can opener
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
Step-by-Step Instructions
Start by browning your meat. In your large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with your wooden spoon. You’re not just cooking it through; you want to get some nice browned, crispy bits for flavor. Once the beef is no longer pink, I spoon out most of the excess grease, leaving about a tablespoon behind. To that flavorful fond, add your diced onion. Sauté for about 5 minutes until it becomes soft and translucent. Then, add the minced garlic and stir for just 30 seconds until it becomes incredibly fragrant—be careful not to let it burn, as that makes it bitter.
Now, it’s time to build the soup base. To the pot, add the drained black beans, pinto beans, corn, the entire can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (with its juices), the tomato sauce, and the beef broth. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Give everything a good stir, scraping up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This is where the flavor builds. Bring the soup to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble away, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. This simmering time allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the soup to thicken slightly. Your kitchen will smell like a cozy Southwestern kitchen.(See the next page below to continue…)